


Smoke

by QZB



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: Cigarettes, Don't smoke kids, F/F, It's really bad for you
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-20
Updated: 2020-02-24
Packaged: 2020-03-08 10:13:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18892561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QZB/pseuds/QZB
Summary: "Penelope Park isn’t the kind of girl to believe in this sort of thing but for a moment, just a moment, she thinks so this is what falling in love feels like."





	1. Part I

**Author's Note:**

> Josie absolutely has a wild rebel side that includes smoking either weed or cigarettes and you can't change my mind.

Penelope’s favorite place in the Salvatore school is the roof. It’s quiet, has a view of the main yard, and nobody will rat her out if she smokes up here. She’s been up here for a few hours now, coming up right after dinner for peace and quiet. Taking a slow drag out of the cigarette her quiet contemplation is interrupted by sniffles and a closing door behind her. She turns to see Josie Saltzman, headmaster's daughter and the good twin, wiping tears from her eyes.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone else would be up here, I can go." Josie turns to leave and on any other night Penelope would let her.

Tonight though, she's on her third cigarette and Josie has never really bothered her so she pats the rooftop next to her and says “stay.”

Josie sits down, resting her head on her knees and staring off into space. Penelope resumes smoking and the two sit in silence for what seems like a lifetime.

A lithe hand appears in front of her face, plucking the cigarette right from her lips. She lets it happen, grabbing another one from her pack and lighting it without thinking.

Her actions catch up with her head after a moment and she whips around to look at Josie who takes a long drag and pointedly looks anywhere else but at Penelope.

 _Oh._ Penelope barely stops the surprised noise from escaping her as Josie eventually breathes out, letting a cloud of smoke escape from her lips. _Oh, that's hot,_ she thinks as Josie holds the cigarette between her fingers daintily.

“You wanna talk about it?” She asks, and Josie looks over, considering before shaking her head no.

_Well, can't say I didn't try._

They continue to smoke in silence, watching a bunch of 6th graders play a pickup game of Wickery. One kid trips and falls flat on his face and Josie Saltzman, who is _revered_ for how nice she is, lets out a laugh.

Penelope looks over at the girl “I thought you were the nice one?”

“I am” Josie responds simply, taking another drag off the stolen cigarette before standing up, crushing it out under her foot, and making her way to the rooftop door.

“Can’t rat me out Saltzman, you were here too.” Penelope throws over her shoulder at the sound of the door scraping open.

“Wouldn't dream of it Park.”

 

\---

 

The next time Penelope meets Josie on the roof it’s at 3 am.

“I have insomnia” Penelope says in lieu of an actual greeting “but what’s your excuse?”

Josie plops down next to her “Just couldn’t sleep” she says followed by “Can I bum a cig?”

Penelope shrugs, figures that as long as she’s not stealing the cigarette from her mouth it’s an improvement, and grabs a cigarette from the pack. She holds it just out of Josie’s reach and when the brunette goes to grab it, pulls back.

“What’s in it for me though?” Penelope smiles as Josie frowns.

Josie thinks for a moment, eyeing her warily “What do you want?”

Penelope shrugs “Surprise me?”

Penelope isn’t blind, she’s seen Josie staring at her ass on more than one occasion, so maybe she’s fishing for Josie Saltzman to kiss her? Who really can blame a girl?

“You know Maria from the grade above us?”

Penelope nods, confused at the fact that Josie speaks up so quickly, _as though she wasn’t even considering the obvious kiss offer. Rude, Saltzman, very rude._

“She’s been cheating on her boyfriend for a month now with Jenna from History of Magical Creatures.”

Penelope’s jaw drops “Maria as in the one who called you a lesbo once?” she asks, dumbfounded. Maria had always been kinda rude to her but to Josie, who was in more advanced classes than her and therefore was constantly beating Maria out for the top grades, Maria was flat out a bitch.

“The very same” Josie plucks the cigarette from Penelope’s hands, lighting it with a snap of her fingers “I never got why she called me that either? What year does she think it is? 1995?”

Penelope cocks her head to the side as she processes the information Josie has given her. They’re silently smoking for 15 minutes before something crosses Penelope’s mind, _how did Josie know this?_

“Jo…” she starts, looking over to where Josie is lazily smoking “how do you know any of this?”

A sly smile makes its way onto Josie’s face “I don’t kiss and tell, Park.”

Penelope smiles “A girl could make a serious power play with what you know.”

Josie’s smile widens “You learn a lot when you just listen Penelope, you should try it some time.”

Penelope Park decides at 3:30am on the roof of the Salvatore school, that she’s never going to underestimate Josie Saltzman again.

 

If two days later the news about Maria’s cheating ways breaks and her hair is literally branded the colors of the lesbian flag then there’s no way to _prove_ Penelope did it.

Judging by the small note slid under Penelope’s door though, Josie knows.

 

\---

 

Penelope finds Josie in the library 3 days later. She’s just coming by to return a book but she sees the other girl studying at a back table and something draws her in.

She glances around the library to see if anyone else is there before approaching the brunette and tossing two cigarettes on the table.

Josie startles abruptly when the cigarettes hit the table, slamming the notebook she’s writing in closed as she looks at Penelope with startled doe eyes.

“Woah there Jo, didn’t mean to scare you.” She says, taking a seat across from the other girl, pushing the cigarettes over so they bump against her notebook slightly.

“What do you want?” Josie asks, rolling her eyes and pushing the cigarettes back towards Penelope.

“I thought we could talk but you’re apparently not in the mood” Penelope grabs the cigarettes off the table, putting them carefully back into her pack as she stands up “I’ll see you some other time Saltzman.” She turns around to walk away but Josie’s soft hand is suddenly on her arm and honestly Penelope _might_ be having a gay panic because Josie Saltzman is touching her arm very softly and _oh my god get it together Park._

“Wait, sorry just not here okay? I’ll meet you in our spot in 10, I need to make sure Lizzie hasn’t had a total meltdown over the History of Dark Arts essay she’s been struggling with.” Josie says, rubbing her forehead and looking so very tired that for just a moment Penelope wants to bundle the taller girl in blankets and make sure she’s warm and happy and _holy shit Park who the fuck are you right now?_

So Penelope smiles and nods quietly “I’ll bring blankets and snacks, it looks like you could use it.”

Josie’s eyes light up and she smiles teasingly “The dark circles under my eyes look that bad huh? You really know how to treat a girl Penelope.”

“No, no I-” Penelope begins to respond but Josie is already walking out of the library and _god she’s pretty._

 

It’s 10 minutes on the dot when Josie walks out onto the roof and collapses onto the blanket Penelope has laid out, putting her head in Penelope’s lap like she has _no_ concept of personal space.

The weirdest part about it is that Penelope doesn’t mind.

They sit silently for a while, Penelope’s hands carding softly through Josie’s hair. Josie eventually rolls around so she’s staring up at Penelope and Penelope doesn’t know what to do under the calculating gaze so she does what she does when she avoids all her problems, she smokes.

“You came up to me in the library, why? Do you need something?” Josie asks, looking up at Penelope’s face will all too much softness.

Penelope shrugs “Just wanted to talk to you.”

Josie raises her eyebrows as she pokes Penelope’s stomach softly “Getting soft on me Park? I thought we just came up here to smoke and revel in our mutual distaste of each other.”

Penelope rolls her eyes “You’re a much better smoking partner when you don’t make fun of me.”

“Where would the fun in that be?” Josie asks, sitting up and stealing Penelope’s cigarette.

Penelope sighs “You know I would have given you a full one if you just asked.”

“Again I ask, where would the fun in that be?” Josie asks, a flirty smile on her face.

 

Josie Saltzman might be the end of her and Penelope Park doesn’t even mind.

 

\---

 

The fourth time Penelope Park smokes with Josie Saltzman it’s hot.

Not in like, _that_ _way_ but the temperatures are reaching into the upper 80’s this week and the air is dry and it’s _hot._

Penelope Park; however, is very cool in a small bubble of chilly air she’s made for herself.

She hears the door open behind her and holds out an unlit cigarette, not turning around until she hears sniffling.

Josie is crying.

Penelope quickly dispels her cool air bubble, getting up to gather Josie in her arms. The taller girl accepts the hug, sniffling softly into Penelope’s shoulder.

They stay like that for a while, wordlessly swaying on the Salvatore school roof until Josie stops crying. Penelope guides her to sit down and redoes her spell for the bubble of cold air and Josie steals her pack of cigarettes before she’s even finished the incantation.

She attempts to light the cigarette by snapping her fingers as she always does but as she snaps nothing happens. She sighs, snaps again but to the same result. Penelope wordlessly offers out her hand and Josie looks at her with surprise.

“You need magic, I’ve got magic, don’t read too far into it Saltzman.” Penelope shrugs.

Josie nods and takes her hand and Penelope can feel the moment she begins to draw magic from her and it is _everything._

It feels like letting go, like falling into a deep abyss without knowing what’s at the bottom, and Penelope Park isn’t the kind of girl to believe in this sort of thing but for a moment, just a moment, she thinks _so this is what falling in love feels like_.

Then all too soon it’s over and Josie has a lit cigarette while Penelope has this intense longing deep in her chest.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Penelope asks after a few quiet moments. She’s fully expecting Josie to shake her head but is pleasantly surprised when Josie starts to speak.

“Lizzie had a massive meltdown today because she saw me talking with a girl she likes.”

Out of all the things she expected Josie to say, that was _not it._

“Lizzie likes girls?” she sputters and Josie smiles a bit.

“You really thought I could be as gay as I am and my twin would be completely straight?” Josie scoffs a bit, tapping the end of her cigarette over the edge of the roof to get rid of the ash.

“No I just, I don’t know didn’t peg her for the type you know? The bitchy mean girl act doesn’t get a lot of girls.” Penelope stutters a bit under Josie’s gaze.

“Seems to work just fine for you though.”

Penelope smiles sadly, breaks eye contact “Not the way I’d like it too.”

Josie shoves lightly on her shoulder “Is big bad Penelope Park is sad her crush doesn’t like her back?”

“Actually until about a week ago I don’t think my crush knew I existed.” Penelope admits softly, a light blush dusting her cheeks.

Hazel eyes slide up to meet brown and Josie’s face warps into a mask of confusion.

“What happened a week ago?” Josie asks, trying racking her brain to figure out who it is that has head bitch in charge Penelope Park looking down in embarrassment.

“A very pretty, very sad girl walked onto this roof and stole my cigarette.”


	2. Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> But this story isn’t about the end. This is about the sweet middle. The never-have-I-evers, the lazy days under shaded trees, the sneaking around, the endless laughter.
> 
> The hidden smoke breaks.
> 
> Smoke Part II

“A very pretty, very sad girl walked onto this roof and stole my cigarette.” 

 

That’s how it starts, a whispered confession on a cloudless night, a small smile of acknowledgement, and a girl with kind eyes moving slightly closer to the girl with the silver tongue. 

It starts with smoke lazily drifting off the Salvatore School roof.

 

It ends in smoke too, but this story isn’t about the end. This is about the sweet middle. The never-have-I-evers, the lazy days under shaded trees, the sneaking around, the endless laughter.

The hidden smoke breaks.

 

It’s mainly about the smoke.

 

**Smoke part II**

 

“The superior action movie is  _ obviously _ Enter the Dragon. It’s a marvel of simple storytelling! No plot that matters, just Kung Fu fighting in a tournament against a laughably evil man.”

“But what’s the point?” Josie tips some ash off the end of the cigarette while she waits for Penelope to answer.

“There is no point beyond fighting. That’s the best part! It’s just a bunch of dudes beating the shit out of each other. The reward isn’t the end, but the end is a sort of reward for the journey you went on.”

Josie shakes her head at Penelope’s childlike excitement “You’re the only person I’ve ever met that doesn’t care about the end.”

“Well it doesn’t hurt that most of my favorite movies are, arguably, garbage.” Penelope winks and Josie throws her head back to laugh, wild and free. It’s music to Penelope’s ears.

“The end of stories is never the point. I’m not there for everything to be wrapped up in a neat bow.” Penelope exhales her cigarette smoke slowly “I’m there for the journey.”

Josie has some inclination to where this is going now “Ah, let me guess, more philosophical bullshit?”

Penelope chuckles softly. “Not this time Jojo, just an English professor for a father. He taught me the value of enjoying the story while it’s unfolding. Even if you see the end, can see  _ so clearly _ how everything will turn out, you can still appreciate the road to get there.”

“Sometimes the end of the story is all I can think about.” Josie admits softly “The end of the day, the end of the semester, the end of the year, the end of being in school.”

Penelope doesn’t speak, gives her the space to reflect as she lights another cigarette. Josie has been doing this more and more around her recently, testing the limits of what they talk about.

Josie describes it as just talking through her thoughts.

Penelope thinks she’s exploring her depths.

Because sometimes, scratch that, most of the time Josie ignores herself in service of others. It’s always “Lizzie needs this, Pedro needs help with his basic runes, MG needs tutoring in biology, Lizzie’s having a breakdown over another redhead” but never anything truly for  _ her _ .

 

Perhaps that’s why Josie Saltzman, straight-A student, Headmaster’s daughter, notable goody-two-shoes, and brightest witch in their year smokes cigarettes.

It’s self-destructive, but it’s the self destruction that Josie chose.

It’s bad for her health and it’s going to kill her one day, but it’s  _ pure Josie. _

Penelope watches Josie, dangerous smoke drifting up around her, a smile on her face, and thinks that there’s something poetic about destroying yourself in the way you’ve chosen.

 

\---

 

The next time Penelope Park sees Josie Saltzman, she’s reading a children’s book to Pedro in the library.

 

Josie is in the middle of a sentence, but stops to wink at Penelope before she continues on for Pedro. “ _ At the gate of the Castle the Prince was waiting to receive her. He had dreamy violet eyes, and his hair was like fine gold. When he saw her he sank upon one knee, and kissed her hand. _ ” 

Pedro screws up his face a little “Nobody has violet eyes!”

Josie smiles, discreetly drawing magic from the library around her, then turns her eyes violet with a simple illusion spell “Are you sure about that?”

Pedro laughs in delight, clapping in wonder.

They continue to read for a while, Josie acting out the story and Pedro interjecting at times.

" _ The King's garden is not the world, you foolish squib," said a big Roman Candle; "the world is an enormous place, and it would take you three days to see it thoroughly.’ _ ”

“The world is bigger than a three day trip!” Pedro exclaims!

Josie smiles softly at the boy and Penelope’s heart does a weird stutter step beat that definitely isn’t normal.

“ _ Any place you love is the world to you," exclaimed a pensive Catharine Wheel, who had been attached to an old deal box in early life, and prided herself on her broken heart; "but love is not fashionable any more, the poets have killed it. They wrote so much about it that nobody believed them, and I am not surprised. True love suffers, and is silent. I remember myself once _ _ —— _ _ But it is no matter now. Romance is a thing of the past.’” _

“Do you love anyone Miss Josie?” Pedro inquires.

“I love my family and my friends.” Josie says pausing briefly to throw a look at Penelope before going back to the story “ _ Nonsense!" said the Roman Candle, "Romance never dies. It is like the moon, and lives for ever. _ ” Josie glances up at the clock. “I think it’s time for you to go to class Pedro.”

“But Miss Josie, the story isn’t over yet!” The small boy complains, flopping back in his chair.

“Well someone special once told me that the most important part of the story is the middle”

“Not the end?”

“Nope.” Josie shuts the book with a small  _ thump _ . “The most important part of the story is the middle, the journey to the end. Now get to class.”

Pedro scampers off and Penelope approaches with a smirk and a cigarette.

“You spend your spare time reading to orphans? Josie Saltzman your kindness knows no bounds.”

“Pedro’s family runs a bakery in Connecticut.” Josie says slowly, like she’s trying to explain to a toddler that no, Pedro isn’t an orphan “You were on the welcome committee last year, you met them.”

Penelope flops onto the couch next to Josie with a smile and a spark of recognition lights in Josie’s brown eyes “...but you knew that already you just wanted to say your quip about orphans.”

Penelope winks and Josie throws the book she was reading at her. “You’re awful sometimes, has anyone told you that?”

“Just this one girl.” Penelope picks the book off her stomach, turning it and reading the title “ _ The Happy Prince and Other Tales _ … I didn’t know Oscar Wilde wrote children’s books.”

“They’re less children’s books and more” Josie pauses for a moment, picking at her lip absentmindedly “parodies. Pedro saw me reading it for a book report and wanted to hear one of the stories so we’re reading  _ The Remarkable Rocket. _ I think you’d really relate to the main character.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah,” Josie snatches the cigarette out of Penelope’s hand “he’s kind of a pompous dick.”

Penelope puts a hand over her heart. “I thought you were the nice twin.”

Josie winks. “Only sometimes.”

 

\---

 

“Saltzman!”

“Park.”

“I’m going into town for cigarettes later, do you wanna come?”

Josie shakes her head, reaching around into her backpack and grabbing out a pack of cigarettes. She tosses them at Penelope, who smiles. “This almost makes up for calling me a pompous dick.”

Penelope turns before she sees the small smile and blush spread across Josie’s face.

 

Later as Penelope stops off between 4th and 5th period for a smoke, she discovers a small note.

_ Meet me in our spot at 9, I have a surprise for you. _

Needless to say she’s intrigued.

 

\---

 

When she comes up to the roof at 9 pm sharp she’s immediately blinded. Not by the light, or the lack thereof, but by hands covering her eyes.

“Getting handsy already are we Jojo? All you have to do is ask and we can take this to my bedroom.”

The hands in front of her eyes drop and Josie stares at her deadpan, arms crossed.

Behind the somewhat annoyed girl in front of her is a white screen suspended between two small towers on the roof, a flickering projector levitating midair, and the dvd menu for  _ Enter The Dragon _ .

Penelope takes this all in with a sharp breath “well now I just feel like a dick.”

Josie cracks a small smile and giggles “I got tired of not knowing what the hell you were talking about when you go off about 70’s action movies. So we’re having a movie night and you’re showing me every weird action movie your heart desires.”

“Just so you can keep up when I go on tangents.”

“Absolutely just so I can keep up with you.”

Penelope arches an eyebrow “Are you sure about that.”

A light blush creeps up Josie’s cheeks as she quickly turns around and flops down on a pile of blankets “If you don’t want to watch this  _ premiere _ selection of 1970’s Kung Fu movies I guess I could just watch Lizzie’s extensive collection of early 2000’s romcoms alone with all this popcorn.”

“No no no” Penelope slides in next to Josie, stealing a blanket from underneath her and wrapping it around both their shoulders “This is perfect.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Impulse posting a fic I've had sitting in my drafts for like 6 months? It's more likely than you think!

**Author's Note:**

> Please don't start smoking kids, it really is very bad for you.  
> My twitter is @WhoopsItsGay if you'd like to bother me about this


End file.
